A Bittersweet Hike

A group of five families embarked on what will be my family's last hike in Arizona for a while (until we visit again), a post-Thanksgiving hike on the Lost Dog Wash Trail in the McDowell Mountain Preserve in Scottsdale.
It was a fun, easy, 6.8 mile hike in a gorgeous desert landscape along the rugged McDowell Mountains. The trail was well-defined and led us gradually up to an old jeep trail,


that ended at the spectacular summit with breathtaking views of the
valley.

It was a very poignant hike for my family and I. We feel as though we are on a path of obedience toward God's will as he leads us away from our home and beloved friends in Arizona to adventures unknown in middle Tennessee. We felt the first tugging about a year and a half ago and have been trying to follow God's leading, kind, then stern, tender and tough, faithfully firm, patiently urgent, eagerly tolerant, softly shouting, gently thundering. We may not understand His hand, but we can always trust His heart.

I always feel very excited about heading out to a new destination. The uncertainty, it's like opening a present. I always feel that way when I'm starting a new hike also. Sometimes I can't imagine the blessings as I'm toiling and rockhopping up the trail, but when I get to the part where I can see the amazing views, it makes it all worth it. I know from experience that when I follow God's leading, the blessings are unbelievable!

I was pondering at the summit as I looked over the valley and felt that even though the universe may seem huge and the rift between friends on opposite sides of the country may seem a great distance, I realized that all the mountains and valleys in the world cannot separate friends whose hearts are one.

Happy Trails,
Gwenn, Jerry, Tori and Alex

Peace Through Simplicity and Exercise

"The richness I achieve comes from nature, the source of my insipiration."

-Claude Monet

Sometimes a solution to overcoming stress can be as close as the nearest hiking path.

A recent study at the University of Colorado found that physical activity may prevent stress to the immune system, lowering your risk for bacterial and viral infections. (Who needs the H1N1 vaccine when you can exercise??)

After holiday dinners, I always feel as though I have been hit by a truck the next morning. I suppose it's all of the nitrates, gluten, MSG, free radicals, etc. etc. etc. zipping around in my system that make me groan and want to go back to sleep.

This year, I"m going to pull myself together and go for a hike. The thing is, once my feet hit the ground, I feel energized. Once I start hiking, my thoughts drift freely and gently, exploring new thoughts that enliven me or put me in a good mood. Being with good friends adds to the fun.

The simplicity of nature does give us that ispiration we need in order for us to move casually and peacefully through our daily lives.....especially during the holiday season.

Join us on Saturday, November 28, 2009 at the Lost Dog Wash trail at the end of 128th Street North of Via Linda in Scottsdale at 7:45 AM under the shelter just north of the parking lot.

A Little Glimpse of Heaven

I have always been enamored by the simple beauty of empty roads. Of course traveling north on I-17 from Phoenix towards Flagstaff on Labor Day weekend, it was pretty much impossible to find an empty patch of highway. After the curves and turns at 70 miles per hour on steep mountain grades that terrify me (when I don't have the wheel in hand), I was more than relieved to get off the highway and head west toward Sedona. I could feel the stress slowly releasing as I took in the majesty of the red rocks, and mentally, I was rubbing my hands in anticipation of the beauty that awaited me on our 6 mile hike on the West Fork trail of Oak Creek, a chance for a little glimpse of heaven.

The West Fork Trail of Oak Creek is hands down my favorite hiking trail in Arizona, perhaps in the whole country. The beauty of the area inspired novelist Zane Grey to write "The Call of the Canyon." The pace of the hike was perfect for us "joy is in the journey" types. It is more of an amble, or perhaps a walk. I always feel like I'm living life to it's fullest when I spend time with family and friends, building relationships in the great outdoors, breathing the pristine mountain air, and enjoying and marveling in God's beautiful creation. I relish the chance to step back and regenerate and savor every moment of our hikes.

The trail began with an easy stroll down a paved sidewalk enclosed on both sides with brilliant yellow flowers teeming with bumblebees, over a footbridge that crossed a sapphire pool and across a scraggly grove with a few tough crusty old apple trees. The kids and adults alike played a while amongst the ruins of an old hunting and fishing lodge. The trail abruptly changed to sand as we passed through a nurturing fern meadow unaware of the spectacular views that were about to hit us in the face.

We followed the twisting, turning sandy trail as it took us deeper into the canyon .We rock- hopped across Oak Creek at numerous places on the mossy green rounded stones that glowed gold under the white dolomite and red sandstone walls that rose us and loomed all around and embraced us. Some people hiked through the creek most of the time, across the boulder strewn streambed, sometimes ankle deep, at other times knee deep. At one point, the narrow enchanting gorge required all of us to wade down the creek. This is when the child inside everyone was released. There came a point when you just can't get any wetter. It was a cool refreshing atmosphere surrounded by the lush vegetation; the lichen draped evergreens, towering ponderosa pines, fir, box, elder, oak, willows, maples and cottonwood trees. The dense trees provided a welcome relief from the harsh desert sun that we all have been experiencing throughout the AZ summer. The plethora of boulders, unique rock sculptures, patterns of the canyon walls, the unique cantilevered overhangs were stunning. Some of the kids explored hollows in the cliffs. There remnants of spring columbine, lupine, sumac and wild grapes all along the trail. Butterflies flitted and hummingbirds rocketed around us. Birdsong spilled from high places. One hawk even held a two way conversation with some of the hikers. We trained ourselves to look for the rock cairns perched precariously on boulders and marked the trail. The aroma of wood rot, vanilla, and pine drifted through the canyon.

It wasn't long before the monsoon rain deluged us. The rolling, rumbling thunder in the canyon juxtaposed with the gentle musical sounds of the water flowing through the forest glades and spilling over the smooth red rock was a treat for the senses. The water made wonderful geometric designs in the water. The fog creeped up on us, gently penetrating the pine trees on the cliffs. Before long, the rain became a gentle, but incessant companion, the creek flowed a little harder, and the plants responded with a lavish explosion of color as we neared the end of our hike. After a welcome change into dry clothes, and a fabulous Mexican dinner we were treated to a blazing sunset as we drove out of Sedona through the dense fog that enveloped and shrouded the red rocks and made us feel like we were driving in the clouds.

That's what happens when the journey is the destination, a little glimpse of heaven.

Journey or Destination- What is more important?

Everytime we hop in the car and drive out of the valley, I never fail to marvel at the stark beauty of Arizona's many landscapes and the way that variations in light and season create subtle changes at each moment in time. The last time we hiked the Horton Creek Trail 15 miles east of Payson, it was late spring. There was a misty spring rain that fell on the floor of the forest that was carpeted with bracken and wildflowers. There was an invigorating aroma of sage and pinon pine in the air and we shivered as we walked along the slick and gluey mud that felt as though we were walking on oiled glass. The mud built up on our boots and we clumped periodically down the path with six pounds of the stuff clinging to our soles. This particular journey, our second hike along Horton Creek in the middle of the summer was a totally different experience. To me as an artist-a card -carrying member of a cult that worships light, the contrast was amazing. The harsh summer sunshine failed to illuminate the soft, gentle landscape like I remembered it. The trail writhed in shimmering heat. Our soles left bootprints in the fine dust. The contrast of the two hikes was remarkable.

Like the tremendous natural variations, I have discovered that there are variations in the ways that people experience hiking. On our hikes, I have discovered that there are two types of people, those who relish the journey, and those who enjoy the destination.

Yes, I like hiking, but I like to go for the journey, not the destination. In fact, there have been a few hikes that I never made it to the "destination" because I have been enjoying the journey too much. Sometimes the scramble up numerous steep paths of rocks and crumbled boulders deters me, and I would rather spend my time enjoying the sights, sounds and smells on level ground. Actually, I kind of saunter through the wild breathing in the fragrance of hot pine needles, sniffing the bark of pine trees (they smell like strawberries) and listening for the secrets of the wind as it whips through through the junipers, pinon and ponderosa pine trees, or the supremely refreshing and relaxing sound of a spring fed stream at first trickling and then bubbling, accompanied by the occasional distant bird singing carelessly. I check out downed logs for lizards and stop to check out the wildflowers. I love to watch the striders skate across the surface of ponds, and enjoy butterflies of every color imaginable flit about in the warm sunshine. I revel in the queendom of dragonflies in every color of the rainbow, blues and greens and suprising flashes of bright copper. I carefully step over baby horned toads and vibrant blue spotted blister beetles.It is pure joy.

The French call it Joie de vivre-the joy of living, the Italians express it as Nienta sense gioia- nothing without joy and to the Greeks, it's Kefi-the spirit of joy, passion, high spirits. It is what I and my kindred spirits who hike for the journey treasure. Actually, as Tim Cahill once said, "A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles." To me and my kindred spirits, joy is found not in finishing an activity, but in doing it. We embrace the journey. Sometimes the destination is restrictive, it sets an end to what we will achieve. It thwarts our freedom.

There are others who live for the destination, the journey is only a medium for the destination. They find it preferable to reach their destination and then relax and soak in the beauty, peace and serenity of their surroundings. They hike for the workout. They as Lao Tzu put it "Do their work, then step back. This is the only path to serenity." They do take short pauses along the hike to enjoy views, snap photos, grab a snack or catch their breath, but their main goal it to get there. The spring at Horton Creek was the destination for this hike. The spring literally gushes out of the side of a mountain into a cascading waterfall. Below the falls, the water pools into a small pond that is lined with moss covered rocks. The heavy vegetation filtered out the bright sunshine. Those who were really brave ventured into the freezing waters of Horton Spring and enjoyed throwing rocks into the pond.

Regardless of whether one is a journey type, or a destination type, the pine forests, spring fed streams, cooler temperatures, spectacular views and wildlife and just spending time with treasured family and friends made this hike a treasured memory.

The Art of Observation

"There is more to life than increasing it's speed."

-Ghandi

Wildlife watching offers a front row view to a fascinating world of drama and survival.

Wild animals lead secret lives all around us. The evidence they leave behind while we work, play, sleep and otherwise go about our lives reveals the exciting and the mundane, the life and death dramas, the animals relationships with one another and their relationship with their habitats.

All that is needed to help reconstruct these lives is a mixture of patience, a good imagination and a willingness to look closer, for you never know what types of encounters may be enfolding at your feet.

I found this quote by Barbara Kingsolver and it struck a chord:

"People need wild places. whether or not we think we do, we do. We need to be able to taste grade and know again that we desire it. We need to experience a landscape that is timeless, whose agenda moves at the pace of glaciers. To be surrounded by a singing, mating, howling commotion of other species, all of which love their lives as much as we do ours, and none of which could possibly care less about us in our place. It reminds us that our plans are small and somewhat absurd. It reminds us why, in those cases in which our plans might influence many future generations, we ought to choose carefully. Looking out on a clean plank of planet earth, we can get shaken right down to the bone by the bronze-eyed possibility of lives that are not our own."

Taking it to the Trails

"Thousands of tired, nerve shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out going to the mountains is going home, that wilderness is a necessity..." -John Muir

In the tradition of American self-reliance-that urge to eschew social conventions for a simpler life, most refugees have headed for wilderness. Henry David Thoreau went to Walden Pond, John Muir to Yosemite. We, as Phoenicians in the summer, head for the Mogollom Rim. As former city slickers, type A workaholics and corporate brats, we have found that the act of setting ones foot down on a path through natural areas provides unparalled opportunities to build the human spirit. Hiking is nature's Zoloft. You get a sense that your part of that bigger something. The meaning of life becomes tangible on a trail in ways it will never be while walking down Main Street, (or heaven forbid, through the mall.) Undeniably, there is One True Creator.

Lessons Learned

"The lessons learned from the wild become the etiquette of freedom."
-Gary Snyder

Your descent marks your entry into a world in which planning and preparation,, self reliance, and good choices are crucial.

Here are some tips from the last group of hikers:

• Know where your destination will be and how to get there.



• Don't overestimate your capabilities-stay within your training, physical limitations and abilities.



• the less you carry, the more enjoyable your hike. (the heaviest items should be food and water.



• use hiking sticks to take the stress off your knees.



• wear well fitting and broken in hiking boots


• wear comfortable socks (the fabric closest to your feet has the most impact on them. Moleskin is great when you feel like you're getting a blister.


• underwear that doesn't chafe (there's nothing worse than getting rubbed raw in your nether regions.)



• wear sunscreen, (reapply often), sunglasses and a hat.



• bring a first aid kit.



• walk at a pace that allows you to be able to walk and talk-it means that your legs and your body are getting enough oxygen to function effeciently. Baby steps when the trail is steep means your energy reserves will last longer, and you'll feel better the next day.



• take a ten minute break at least once every hour-many more when ascenting. (in the long run, breaks will not slow you down.) Sit down, prop up your legs, eat some food, drink some water, appreciate the view.



• drink frequently and eat often- eat before, during and after your hike. Eat before you are hungry, drink before you are thirsty. (for every hour, you should drink 1/2- 1 liter of water or sports drink. (you may want to think about filling up your water container with 1/2 part water to 1/2 part sports drink on more strenous hikes.)



• salty snacks high in carbohydrates are good during hikes, apples, energy bars, dried fruit, and pb&j are good ideas. Fresh oranges really hit the spot, peel one before you go.



• eat a healthy breakfast with enough protein, complex carbohydrates and fats.



• watch your time-coming back is hard, plan on taking twice as long to hike up as it took to hike down. (a small flashlight is helpful in case you end up hiking in the dark)



• things you might wish you had brought on a hike: Immodium (speaks for itself), cell phone, two way radios, cell phone, extra water, chapstick with sunscreen, tissue paper, ziplock bag, tylenol or ibuprofen, comb (useful for removing cactus), elastic bandage for sore knees, powdered electrolyte replacement beverage.

These tips can bring more joy to your hike.

Soulful Exercise/Magestic Nature

After a 1 1/2 hour drive on the construction laden highway, a 20-minute ride on a bumpy dirt road, and a short trek to the trailhead of Fossil Springs Trail near Strawberry, a group of 20 (7 families) responded to the call of the wild and set out on a wonderous trek where magic happens and lessons were learned. (Note: 3 photographers from our group are missing in this picture, because they were taking it!)

A sense of anticipation, peace and tranquility overcame us as we gazed out on the sweeping vista of red rocks across the canyon. What a visually impressive grand entrance to the adventure awaiting us. We hiked along an old jeep trail that gave no clue of the downward trek that dropped almost 2000 feet in 4 miles.

We were treated to a wonderous red rock backdrop that beamed through the trees on our way into the canyon. The views never let up. During our descent, there were countless enchanting sounds in the matchless silence. Surely one of the best sounds in the world is the sound of wind through pine trees. On a high place above the canyon, amidst crystal clear air, sunlight, cloud dappled blue skies and space, the wind, at first gentle, gay and reassuring touched the needles and there was the breath of pine sounds as it gained a whispering breeze until it came rushing, and swinging across the canyon bringing with it fragmentary whiffs of pine.

The trail was nice, rugged in some places, flat and sandy in others and downright rock-hopping in others.

The reason that we toiled through the exposed descent and rock hop was found here, amidst a lush, riparian oasis among a tangle of trees, where the flowers and ferns cascade into the clear green/blue pools of water, where moss covered rocks, travertine cliffs, and caves together formed this wonderful place where magic happens. Climb, grab a rope and fly for some magical moments. It was very inspiring to watch the kids revel in "unstructured play" and interacting with the natural world for hours.

Everyone was entranced by the spectacular scenery and sensory experiences of this place. The kids and adults realized that life responds when we risk.

Families and friends connected on a different level and the joy in everyones faces was so very evident.

Water just can't move about without making pleasant sounds, and what a chance to move about it has in Fossil Springs! Down, down, down goes the waterfall and stream....the lovely sound of water. This is one place on earth that has intense psychological power, the power of place, it affects the mood, and soul of people who appreciate it.

The kids and adults alike enjoyed climbing on the fallen trees, and rocks, standing behind and beneath the waterfalls, and sliding down moss covered rock slides, and floating down a lazy river current in the cool clear refreshing water at the dam further down the trail.

All of this beauty distracted us from the draconian steep climb waiting for us on the way out of the canyon. Some of us were woefully unprepared for the relentless ascent and it was amazing to see how a group of our 12 year old boys came up with an organizational/communication plan and came to the rescue through their problem solving. (Give boys a walkie-talkie, and a problem to solve and their imagination and leadership skills kicks in to produce some huge results!)

As we reached the trailhead and gazed back on the vista, we realized that it was well worth it. "No pain, no gain." We had a sense of pride of having the perserverence to make it out of the canyon, and we learned some great lessons on the way (look for next post). We had witnessed many small miracles during our journey as well. What a great way to spend a day with family and friends making wonderful memories!

The Place Where You Loose the Trail is Not Necessarily the Place Where it Ends

"The walk liberating, I was released from forms, from the perpendiculars, straight lines, blocks, boxes, binds of thought into the hues, shadings, rises, flowing bends and blends of sight....." -A.R. Ammons

Diagnosis-Technostress----Treatment-Getting Back to Nature

Frustration, confusion and fear caused by technology overload has been permeating my days. Dealing with the influx of technolgy, the multitude of electronic resources and trying to make sense out of social media has made me feel like I'm wired in a tangled mess of technology. How do I mesh my physical and digital self? How does a creative type process this??????

GO PLAY OUTSIDE!!!!!

Last week, we hiked the Horton Creek Trail, about 15 miles east of Payson, AZ with some friends. The psychological effects of spending time in the woods were positive and strong, I was renewed. I reaquainted myself with the scale and beauty of the natural world. I found myself perpetually entertained with every step. The stunning views captured my heart and soul. I flowed with nature and my mind quieted down. Oh, the magic of being out in the woods and how it feeds the human spirit. It was a virtual wonderland for my senses. Birdsongs, shadows, leaves rustling in the wind, the rainsoaked ground, the babbling creek, the smell of the pine trees, a fuzzy caterpillar on the bark of a tree, the rushing of waterfalls, kids hopping on boulders and crossing logs in mountain streams. I realized that our brains are hardwired for existence with nature, not technology. We have a innate link with that, and when broken, leaves a part of us bereft.When we reached the parking lot, I asked myself what's next? Where do I go from here? The possibilities are endless.